New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-02-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.

week., inasmuch as more Emoney was
voted out of the Treasury for this pur-
pose than in any one week during the
present session. And now there is a
proposition before Congress to establish
a civil pension list, for the benefit OF
Government employees who have been
thirty or forty years at their desks.
This of course meets with unqualified
approval from all the Department
clerks, but it will probably meet a Wig
orous opposition from the spoilsmen in
and out of Congress.
They will hold that instead Of devils
ing schemes for prolonging the tenure
of office, Congress had far better set a
fixed limit to terms of official service,
and adopt the policy of rotation.
But rising above all political consid-
erations, the Government could scarcely
do worse thing for the young men of
the country than to tempt them with its
subordinate clerk-ships, with q guaran-
ty of retiring them on a pension thirty
or forty years afterward. No man
should sit at desk in the Departments
and copy letters or add up figures for
whole lifetime. He owes something
more to himself than to enter upon
such q condition of servitude.
A recent scene in an executive ses-
sion of the Senate has furnished fresh
pabulum for the opponents of secret
sessions, and now one hears 8. star
chamber rowdyism y rung on so many
changes. It was Senator Riddleberger
| who stirred the Senate up. The Brit
ish extradition treaty being under dis
cussion, he denounced it as scheme to
curry favor with British tyrants, and
said Senators need not hope to hide
their votes on the treaty. He declared
that he would make it his duty to pub.
| fish the vote regardless of the rules.
This aroused Senators Edmunds, Ev-
arts, Frye, and others, who undertook
to convince the Virginia Senator that
he was amenable to the rules at all
times. Mr.. Riddleberger defed the
rules, and said he would dare the SEN
ate to expel him for making public
votes that would sacrifice the principles
of this Governments.
At one time several Senators were
shouting at the tops Of their voices, SO
that they were distinctly heard in the
corridors and adjoining committee
rooms. The excited remarks were d.
rected at Senator Riddleberger and he
was doing his best to shout back at four
or five Senators who were shouting at
him.
The new Senator-elect from New
York, Congressman Hiscock, will be
conspicuous in the Senate through his
wide knowledge Of everything relating
to appropriations for the various de-
partments Of the Government. In a
general debate he will compare favor
ably with any of the Senators. He may
never astonish his auditors there with
his brilliancy, but he is sure to satisfy
them always with his good sense and
knowledge of business affairs.
Mr.. Hiscock has been called an indo-
lent man because he has an appearance
of repose and is very deliberate in his
movements. His nature seems to be
contradictory, however, for there are
times when he is furieusly energetic
and industrious. He has tall, well
rounded, portly figure, and peculiar
mouth which is said to resemble that
seen in the statue Of young Augustus
Caesar. Some people say Mr.. Hiscock
shaves his upper lip on account Of the
curves of this peculiar mouth, which 6
moustache, if permitted to grow, woule
hide.
i An indefinite number of millions rep
resented in the person of Mr.. George
Hearst will, next session, resume the sea
: they lately occupied in the Senate wing
Of the Capitol. Mr.. Hearst will be dis
+ tinguished for being one Of the riches
men in the Senate, the money he ha
!, acquired being his only title to consid
Grafton, social OF political. He eccu
pied seat in the Senate q few week
last year, having been appointed by tn
J Democratic Governor Of California t,
fill the vacancy caused By the death Q
Senator Miller, His brief career ther
was greater failure than Mr.. Tabor
for the latter had sense enough not t
try to make a speech. and Mr.. Hears
: did not:
a II looks rs If there would be . TEN